Featured News
Lee County Board holds final millage and tax, budget hearing Tuesday
September 12, 2024
The Lee Board of County Commissioners will have its regularly scheduled meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 17, and the final millage and county budget hearing will take place Tuesday evening…
1949: Boca Grande’s first newspaper, the Boca Grande Journal
September 12, 2024
BY JAMES J. BLAHA, DIRECTOR, BOCA GRANDE HISTORY CENTER
The year was 1949, when NATO was established, West Germany was created, the People’s Republic of China was formally proclaimed and the Sovi…
Artificial Intelligence and the year ahead at Friends
September 12, 2024
Editor’s Note: The Friends of Boca Grande just released their 2024-25 Happenings booklet, in mail soon.
On the cover is a talk with Heidi McKee on Artificial Intelligence. As an experiment, the B…
Plans in work for 2025 Visitor’s Guide; copies available
September 6, 2024
The Boca Beacon’s Visitor’s Guide is the only promotional magazine for travelers to Gasparilla Island, and an essential for advertisers, as it is the key to one of Florida’s wealthiest zip code, 339…
Lee County Appraiser encourages review of property assessments
September 6, 2024
Island real estate not easy to categorize; values hold steady
If property owners have questions about their assessments that came out in recently sent Truth in Millage notices (TRIM), they have u…
Questioning the 15-day gag grouper season, nine snook zones
September 6, 2024
How can we expect small businesses to survive dealing with the uncertainty of National Marine Fisheries’ inability to factor into their decisions the crippling impacts on our marine and tourism? …
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Curator of the native Boca Grande landscape, Rick Joyce
September 6, 2024
F
or years, the ecological wellbeing of Boca Grande’s plant life has been one of Rick Joyce’s favorite endeavors. Boca Grande, and all of Gasparilla Island, owes much of its beauty and charm to t…
Full steam ahead: Placida Bunkhouse restoration recommended
August 29, 2024
Restoration plans and estimated costs for the Placida Bunkhouse were released from the consultant at the beginning of this week. Included are drawings of what the restoration will look like as well…
Island merchants hold summer sales in last days of August
August 29, 2024
While some restaurants and businesses are closed this time of year, many are still open and are rolling out sales during this Labor Day weekend and beyond.
“There’s a lot to offer at great price…
Watch mail for TRIM notices; not a bill but an estimate
August 29, 2024
Notices of Proposed Property Taxes, or TRIM (Truth in Millage) have been sent out to Lee and Charlotte County property owners.
These notices include each property’s market, assessed and taxable…